8905 Forms by 1/31/2007

[mwyatt]

Our volume submitter provider is recommending that all of our clients sign the Form 8905 by 1/31/2007. Don't have a problem with that, as they have provided a Word version of the form via their website. The info actually entered on the form is relatively trivial (plan name, EIN, plan number, and plan sponsor).

However, in order to produce these forms using their document software, we have to open up each plan, update it to the newest version of the language, and then build and print the form. Seems pretty time consuming for 800 plans, especially for what is essentially a nonbillable item.

My thought last night was to print out a raft of the partially prepared 8905s, and then using our existing database prepare a blank report page with the items lined up on the form. Then just a matter of loading the printed out forms, and then printing the database job. Estimate this would take a 2 week process down to about 2 hours (from experience of updating 500 SH 401(k) plans in November to generate the new SH notice).

My only question is that the form itself has those annoying boxes to individually enter each letter. I am not inclined to parse each item character by character to exactly line up; rather just align with the start of the line and let the characters fall where they lay (I've got better things to do with my time around the end of the year). Given that these are just retained forms, not sent to the IRS, does anyone think it a big deal if the characters don't perfectly line up on the 8905?

[Bird]

We did something similar and figured "screw-em." That is, we didn't line up each letter in the stupid little box. It doesn't appear that it will need to be scanned.

[mwyatt]

Thanks for the input. Looks like a little database coding is in order... (a heckuva lot better than having someone run Relius Documents nonstop for 2 weeks).

[David MacLennan]

mwyatt: "However, in order to produce these forms using their document software, we have to open up each plan, update it to the newest version of the language, and then build and print the form. Seems pretty time consuming for 800 plans, especially for what is essentially a nonbillable item"

Why would you think this is a non-billable item?